Meeks is a better option right now in that role IMO..... he can shoot and should get more opportunities once the roster is closer to full strength and the rotations become more set.

This team's success will be determined by what MDA gets out of Artest/Gasol (or players they are moved for) and what they can squeeze from the bench in order to give their older stars a bigger breather.

"If the wolf is the strength of the pack, the pack is the strength of the wolf"

I would not complain much about Raja, but I don't see why we would need him. Sure, he can hit some long Js, but we have others who can do the same. If he was younger and quicker, sure... I'd take him, but I guess I just don't see the point now, when we have Kobe and Meeks. What exactly does he bring to the SG position that can't be covered by these two guys? He has more playoff experience then Meeks, and...

"It's not realistic to get younger and better when you only have the veteran's minimum to offer free agents."

^ lakerfan2 - I thought about that after remarking in this thread. The only reason why i could see them going after Raja is if MDA has an idea about playing small lineups at times with Bryant as the 3. Than maybe it would make sense to go after Raja...... besides that his shooting does not make up for his age IMO..... be different if this was a young core and his age was sprinkled in but it's not so his age just compounds things in that nature.

"If the wolf is the strength of the pack, the pack is the strength of the wolf"

Not interested in Bell.. If we're going to add shooters, we need to add young athletic shooters that can run. I'd rather part with Pau for a starting SF that can also be our backup PF. If we're going to hand the ball to Nash & run, we need Pau for a big SF that can back up the 4 & create his own shot/play defense. Guys like Batum or Paul George. Artest or Jamison's minutes will take a hit depending on who's hot/matchups. You put a lineup of shooters that can run out there with Nash & Dwight & good things are going to happen. Batum is probably pipe but LMA + Pau is a scary thought. Who knows.

Meeks>Bell at this point. I feel like people underrate Meeks' defense.

Every time I begin to ask, "Is he really as great as I think he is?" ...He proves that he is.Every time I begin to wonder...He proves it...That is why I won't lose hope in him.You know who I am talking about.

says he wants to see Ebanks and Clark but hasnt been able to bc everyone is playing so well.

glad he hasnt forgotten about Ebanks....but would like to see more Hill bc hes huge for our bench and also i think its important to give dwight less minutes while hes still recovering...pretty much hes been out there tired and hill can give exactly what our team needs while dwight rests.

It's early still, but I'm not exactly loving this hire, I'm not seeing a consistent culture change taking place. How we go from scoring 115 to 77 only one game later? This isn't the first time it's happened either, we had that huge blowout win with Mike Brown as well, then right after it got horrible. This team is Jekyll and Hyde big time.

As much as I would LOVE to blame pau. It is known by the ENTIRE WORLD that pau is horrible in the pnr. If vogel is smart enough to attack pau, how come d'antoni isn't smart enough to see it too. This is a game that goes strictly on d'antoni. Thats the con of not being defensive MINDED. Don't care how many defensive stoppers you have.....

But there may be a positive to all of this. A game this close that gave us such a loss, obviously impacts the team greatly. And I think them attacking pau like that at the last possession will open d'antoni's eyes. Pau just can not play as much as he used to. They need to send him to the bench and bring him in as center and center only. It just must be done. I honestly think he's the lone weak spot defensively because of him being run in the pnr so much.

D'Antoni please explain to us why Pau was in the last possession in the ballgame ? Everyone in the world also know that Jordan Hill is faster and a better defender than Pau at that moment so why don't you put Hill in.

noobiew wrote:D'Antoni please explain to us why Pau was in the last possession in the ballgame ? Everyone in the world also know that Jordan Hill is faster and a better defender than Pau at that moment so why don't you put Hill in.